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Kenny Carr is a classically trained guitar player and composer living in New York City. Kenny performs his original jazz, blues, funk and fusion instrumental music with trio, quartet and other ensembles. Kenny has published five albums recorded with NY, LA and other musicians to include Donny McCaslin, Kenny Wollesen, Hans Glawischnig, George Laks, Andy Hess, Tony Mason, Tom Baldwin and Frank Russo.

Kenny began playing violin at age nine but by 11 realized his true passion was the guitar. Growing up in Santa Cruz, CA, with its inspiring natural beauty set the stage for Kenny’s musical career. By his early teens, he was studying jazz theory with vibraphonist Rob Lautz, in addition to renowned trumpeter Ray Brown.

Kenny was surrounded by talented aspiring musicians who became close friends. By 16 he was performing at local venues where he met drummers Kenny Wollesen, Jeff Ballard, bassist Anders Swanson and saxophonist Donny McCaslin. In 1981, Kenny and his fellow Santa Cruz musicians were invited to open for Carmen McRae and Freddie Hubbard at the Mount Tamalpais jazz festival, a catapult inspirationally and musically.

Carr attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. In his final year he got the call to audition for Ray Charles. “I remember running onto the stage (for what I thought was an audition) at a live concert as Mr. Charles told me to “play the blues!”. Carr had the pleasure of touring worldwide with Charles for over 10 years and was lead guitar for the recordings “Just Between Us” and “Live at Montreux”. Carr has enjoyed a fruitful career since Charles’ passing, with a discography of titles including:Friday at Five (2005), Turn the Page (2006), Changing Tide (2007), Idle Talk (2015), Exit Moon(2015), Departure (2018).

Club Bonafide is pleased to have Kenny join our roaster of great perfromers.